Saw pipe manufacturer Jindal Saw Ltd has bagged orders worth Rs 1,000 crore for supply of large diameter pipes and ductile iron pipes in domestic and export markets.

While domestic supply orders are from GAIL and HPCL, among others, the export orders are primarily from Middle-Eastern market. With these orders, the total order book of the company stands at around Rs 3,600 crore. The orders are scheduled to be executed by March 2010.

Speaking on the development, Indresh Batra, MD, Jindal Saw said, ?The Middle-East and West Asia remains predominant market for us where we have a presence across most major oil & gas sector.?

?Market outlook for the company in the region remains good as existing price of oil makes most projects in regions where we have a presence investment worthy and therefore such projects are taking off,? said Batra.

Apart from middle-east, the company is also bullish on Africa and Latin America. ?North and West Africa and Latin America are also regions of equal potential and we have strong acceptability in these regions as well,? said Batra.

On the domestic demand, he said, ?Demand in the country, particularly for the gas trunk pipeline projects, remains strong as GAIL alone will implement pipe projects of around 3,000 km in the next two years.?

Jindal Saw Ltd is a part of $10-billion Jindal Group and provides total pipe solutions to the industry. The company produces saw pipes primarily used for transportation of oil and gas. With integrated facilities at multiple locations, the company has diversified into a multi-product company, manufacturing large diameter submerged arc welded pipes and spiral pipes and bends for energy transportation sector; carbon, alloy and stainless steel Seamless tubes for industrial application and ductile iron pipes for water and sewage transportation.

Courtyard by Marriott checks into Pune

Global lodging company Marriott International has launched Courtyard by Marriott at Pune in Hinjewadi.

Speaking about the facilities in the offing, Deepak Manocha, GM, Courtyard by Marriott (Pune), said, ?Located in the heart of Pune’s IT hub, Courtyard by Marriott, Pune offers travellers with the conveniences that make business and leisure travel easy. This hotel comprises 153 rooms.?

With IT majors seated in the area and Pune becoming a destination for sectors like pharma, manufacturing and auto, the company is bullish on the city. ?Pune is well poised to be one of the driver cities for India. More so, its proximity to Mumbai coupled with good weather conditions and surrounding makes it a very good destination for doing business,? said Manocha.

On the future plans in India, Manocha said, ?We are excited that Courtyard brand in India will grow rapidly and we will be adding four new hotels in the country in Ahmedabad, Gurgaon, Hyderabad and Mumbai by the end of the year, taking the tally to six including the one in Chennai already there since 2006. We are excited to be a part of the India?s hospitality growth story.? There are over 820 Courtyards worldwide.

Ambika Sharma to advise brand body

Asia Brand Congress, which is being held for the last 17 years, is organising World Brand Congress in November this year. World Brand Congress has recently appointed Ambika Sharma, national head of Jagran Solutions, as one of the members of the advisory council for India. Jagran Solutions is a marketing communications company, which provides brand activation solutions.

The World Brand Congress would be a meeting place for leaders from every sector and continent. About 500 of the world’s branding and marketing companies would be coming under one roof. One of the Key features of the World Brand Congress will be Global Brand Excellence Awards.

The role of the advisory council member is to define the scope and guide the strategic content. The member may also recommend professionals who may add value to the World Brand Congress.

Speaking on her new role, Sharma said, ?It is an honour to have been selected on the advisory council of the World Brand Congress. It is an opportunity to learn from professionals across industries and share my experiences as well.?

She added, ?Top global brands will come together to discuss various issues in marketing. This will provide an excellent knowledge sharing opportunity across the board. The council will also take forward the suggestions from ad agencies and marketing firms.?